Pressure operated driving means



Dec. 3, 1968 A. J. LOMBARDI 3,413,856

PRESSURE OPERATED DRIVING MEANS INVENTOR AGENT l ANTHONY o. LOMBARDI Dec. 3, 1968 A J. LOMBARDI 3,413,856

PRESSURE OPERATED DRIVING MEANS Filed July 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ANTHONY J. LOMBARDI f-i .5. "Mg/ United States Patent O 3,413,856 PRESSURE OPERATED DRIVING MEANS Anthony J. Lombardi, Wyckoff, NJ., assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 14, 1966, Ser. No. 565,228 6 Claims. (Cl. 73-398) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A pressure responsive device consists of a collapsible tube collapsed by a movable roller against a fixed bearing surface. Fluid pressure inside the tube forces the roller along the tube. In one embodiment a spring opposes movement of the roller while an index finger moving with the roller rides over a pressure-indicating scale. In another embodiment, for driving a shorting device for a helical antenna or inductor, the collapsible tube is wound between the conductive tfurns of the helix, and the roller moves helically under uid pressure applied to either end of the tube. The iuid also serves as a heat conveyor.

This invention relates to a pressure operated driving means and the main object thereof is to provide means for moving a following device along a hollow collapsible tube responsive to uid pressure applied within said tube.

According to this invention a following means is moveably mounted on a hollow collapsible tube, said following means collapsing said tube. Means are further provided at one end of said hollow tube fo-r applying pressure within said tube for causing said following means to tralvel along said tube responsive to the application of said pressure.

T-he above mentioned and other objects of this invention will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIIGURE l illustrates a pressure sensing device utilizing a driving means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modication to the system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates an embodiment of this invention utilized as a helical antenna shorting device;

FIGURE 4 illustrates in more detail the following means of FIGURE 3; and

FIGUR-E 5 is another view of the following means of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a pressure measuring device according to this invention wherein a collapsible tube 2 is coupled to a source of pressure 1 at one end thereof for applying pressure within said tube. Following means 3 is pivoted at pivot point 9` and has a roller 4 rotatably mounted thereon and indicating means 6 mounted thereon for indicating the position of said following means along said tube 2. Collapsible tube 2 is shown mounted in an arcuate configuration about the periphery of rigid block 5. Following means 3 is coupled to said tube by means of roller 4 which collapses said tube 2 at the point of contact between said roller 4 and the periphery of said rigid block 5. It should be noted that tube 2 and the periphery of block 5 are shown in an arcuate shape in FIGURE 1 merely by way of example and that other configurations may be readily utilized.

Coil spring -8 biases said following means 3 against stop 7 `when no pressure is applied by source 1. Upon the application of pressure wit-hin said tube by source 1, following means 3 is caused to move in a clockwise direction about said pivot point 9 due to the increased pressure within said tube 2 which forces roller 4 to move along the tube. Spring 8 is dimensioned such that the deflection of said following mea-ns from its rest position against 3,413,856 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 stop 7 is proportional to the amount of pressure applied within said tube 2. Thus indicating means `6 indicates the amount of pressure applied by pressure source 1. When the pressure is released, spring v8 causes following means 3 to lreturn to its initial position against stop 7. 'Indicating means 6 is shown in conjunction with a calibrated dial 10, but it is apparent that in place thereof one may utilize any other type of known position indicating devices such as a variable resistance device driven by said indicating means 6 to electrically indicate the position of said following means 3 along the length of tube 2. Stop 11 is for preventing following means 3 from being driven too far along tube 2.

FIGURE 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a following means for use in a system similar to that shown in FIGURE l. Similar elements which are present in both FIGURES 1 and 2 are given the same reference numeral. The embodiment shown in FIGURE 2 comprises following .means 3 and two rollers 4 and 23 rotatably mounted thereon. Rollers 4 and 23 are spaced to collapse tube 2 at the point of contact therebetween. When pressure is applied Iwithin tube 2, following means 3 is caused to move in the direction of the applied pressure due to the build-up of pressure within tube 2 behind rollers 4 and 23 which causes them to move along tube 2. In this embodiment a nonstretchable collapsible tube 2 must be used in order to prevent tube 2 from stretching in the direction of the applied pressure due to the build up of pressure behind rollers 4 and 23.

FIGURES 3, 4, and 5 illustrate a pressure operated driving means according to this invention for use as a shorting device for helical conductors. For example, in FIGURE 3 helical antenna or inductor comprising helically wound conductor 12 has a collapsible tube 13 helically wound in the interstices between the turns of said helically wound conductor. The tube 13 and the conductor 12 are both wound within a cylindrical housing 22 which is nonconducting. First and second pressure sources 15 and 16, respectively, are coupled to each end, respectively, of said collapsible tube 13 for selectively applying pressure within said tube 13 at either end thereof. When either of said sources 15 and 16 are inactive, they operate as pressure sinks. Mounted within said helices is following means 14 which functions as a shorting means for the helical antenna. Here, following means 14 comprises a frame 17 (see FIGURES 4 and 5 having rollers 18, 19, 20 and 21 rotatably mounted thereon. Roller 21 abuts against collapsible tube 13, collapsing said tube against said housing 22 at the point of contact therebetween as shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. Rollers 18, 19 and 20 are spaced equidistant around the periphery of frame 17 and make contact with helical conductor 12. In this ernbodiment frame 17 and rollers 18, 19 and 20 are constructed of electrically conductive material, said rollers being electrically coupled to said frame 17. l'In this manner the helically wound conductor 12 is shorted out by means of rollers 18, 19 and 20. It is apparent that other spacings of the rollers on frame 17 and different numbers of rollers may be used as well as other electrical connections between said rollers and said frame, depending on the particular application of the shortin-g device. Also the particular frame configuration is shown merely by way of example and it is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiment.

When pressure is applied Iwithin said tube 13 by the active pressure source 15 it is readily seen that said following means 14 will move in a direction towards the inactive pressure source 16, since roller 21 is being forced away from source 15, thereby imparting motion to the shorting means comprising fra-'me 17 and rollers 18, 19 and 20 along said conductor 12. This causes a different portion of the helically wound conductor 12 to be shorted out, thereby providing the desired electrical results. Ifv itV is desired to short out a portion of conductor 12 closer to pressure source 1.5 then pressure is applied within said tube 13 by the active pressure source 16, thereby causing following means 14 to move in the desired direction.

It is pointed out that the pressure medium within said collapsible tube 2 (FIG. l) or tube 13(FIG. 3) may comprise a thermally conductive tluid for removing some of the heat -generated in the system. Such fluids are presently known in t-he art and are particularly suitable for use in a system according to this invention which is utilized as a shorting means for a high powered |helical antenna.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specic apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention, as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A pressure operating driving means comprising:

a hollow helically wound collapsible tube;

means coupled to one end of said tube for applying pressure within said tube;

means providing a iixed bearing surface adjacent said tube;

following means, movably mounted on said tube opposite said bearing surface and collapsing said tube where it is mounted thereon for traveling along said tube responsive to the application of said pressure;

a conductor helically |wound in the interstices between the turns of said helically wound tube; and

shorting means coupled to said following means and to said conductor for shorting out predetermined portions of said conductors.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a cylindrical housing provides said bearing surface, within which housing said tube and conductor are helically Wound.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said following means comprises:

a mounting plate; and

a roller rotatably mounted on said plate for collapsing said tube against said housing.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shorting means comprises:

a plurality of electrically conducting contacts coupled to said following means and contacting said con ductor; and

conducting means electrically coupling together at least two of said contacts for shorting out a predetermined portion of said conductor.

5, Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said plurality of contacts comprise a plurality of electrically conducting rollers rotatably mounted on said following means and contacting said conductor.

y6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for applying pressure within said tube includes a thermally conductive medium for removing heat from the system.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,083,576 4/1963 Kanes 73-409 S. CLEMENT SWISHER, Acting Primary Examiner. DONALD O. WOODIEL, Assistant Examiner. 

